The Malian military government has reported that it thwarted a “terrorist” attack in the capital, adding the situation is “under control”.

The army said on Tuesday that it was conducting a security sweep after fighting off gunmen who attacked a military police centre in Bamako. Mali’s military government has been fighting rebel groups since overseeing a coup in 2021.

The military facility, located in the Feladie district on the southeastern outskirts of the capital near the main airport, came under attack early on Tuesday morning. Witnesses reported gunshots and explosions.

“Early this morning, a group of terrorists attempted to infiltrate the Faladie [Feladie] gendarmerie school. Mopping-up operations are currently under way throughout the area,” the army said in a statement.

The military called on residents to avoid the area and await further official reports.

Bamako’s Modibo Keita international airport was temporarily shut down due to the unrest, an airport official told the AFP news agency.

A nearby high school announced it would remain closed “due to external events”. Staff at the United Nations mission in Mali received a message urging them to “limit [their] movements until further notice”.

Mali, which has been ruled by a military government since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, is plagued by numerous armed rebel groups, including separatists and fighters linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS). However, these groups have, so far, remained outside of the capital.

Under the leadership of Colonel Assimi Goita, Mali has broken a longstanding alliance with European partners and former colonial power France, turning instead to Russia and its Wagner mercenary group for support.

An offensive against rebels in the north since 2022 has given rise to numerous allegations that the army and its Russian allies have committed abuses against civilians, charges they deny.

After the last coup in Mali, militaries have also seized power in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.